Toyota displayed an innovative Auto Access Seat, designed for use in the all-new 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan, for the first time at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Toyota is the first automaker in North America to offer a factory-installed, rotating, power ascending/descending lift-up seat. Designed internally, the Auto Access Seat will offer a new level of comfort and convenience to anyone who may need assistance getting in or out of a vehicle.

Factory installed at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI) assembly plant, the Auto Access Seat offers consumers a seamless purchase-process alternative to the current aftermarket installation method, which requires the consumer to purchase their vehicle and then have it modified by an aftermarket supplier. The Sienna minivan equipped with the Auto Access Seat will offer a much needed transportation solution for the caregivers of an elderly parent or spouse with a walking disability, a disabled veteran, or for the parents of child with a disability.

The Auto Access Seat features a one-touch operation and benefits from the all-new Sienna’s spacious interior and wide-opening sliding doors. A seat-mounted ingress/egress switch and a wireless remote control allows for easy and flexible seat operation. The seat rotates 90 degrees and can be lowered to within 19 inches of the ground to further facilitate easier passenger transfers at the exact height required.